National Theatre Collection vs VideoLectures.NET
National Theatre Collection
nationaltheatre.org.ukVideoLectures.NET
videolectures.netSide by side
| Figure | National Theatre Collection | VideoLectures.NET |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | Free | Free |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Free trial | Yes | — |
| Open source | — | — |
| Web | Yes | Yes |
| Windows | — | Yes |
| macOS | — | Yes |
| Linux | — | Yes |
| iOS | — | Yes |
| Plans published | 6 | 2 |
| Spec score · Educational Video Libraries | 8.1 (#7) | 8.2 (#5) |
| Company size | LinkedIn lists National Theatre as a nonprofit with 1,001–5,000 employees and headquarters in London. | LinkedIn lists the organization in the 2–10 employee range. |
| Founded | 1963 | 2001 |
| Headquarters | London, UK | Ljubljana, Slovenia |
| Integrations | The collection is distributed through Bloomsbury's Drama Online and ProQuest's integrated library solution. | The site supports optional Google account login for registration. |
| Security and privacy | National Theatre says it uses appropriate technologies and policies, contractual controls for service providers, and UK-approved safeguards for transfers outside the EEA. | The privacy policy says personal data is hosted on IRCAI-managed infrastructure, no external data processors are used, and data is encrypted during transmission. |
| Support | Questions or feedback about the collection can be sent to [email protected]. | Users can submit technical or editorial issues through a ticket system linked below lectures, or through lecture comment and review boxes. |
| What it does | The National Theatre Collection streams professionally filmed theatre productions for classroom teaching through Drama Online. | VideoLectures.NET provides an open repository of recorded academic lectures from conferences, workshops, summer schools and similar events. |
Plans
National Theatre Collection
- EdTA member accessFree
- UK state-funded schools and FE collegesFree
- UK state-funded schools and FE collegesFree
- Higher education institutionsPriced on request
- Independent schools and higher-education institutionsPriced on request
- UK independent schools and worldwide schoolsPriced on request
In their own words
National Theatre Collection
National Theatre Collection brings filmed theatre productions and related learning materials into classrooms. Its catalogue covers UK productions ranging from Shakespeare to literary adaptations and classic comedies. Each play is accompanied by resources to help students explore themes, performance, and technique. Learning Packs include plot synopses with timecodes, production notes, and pointers for further research; where available, Rehearsal Insights provide rehearsal diaries and Staff Director notes. Primary Packs and Cross-Curricular Learning Guides support English, History, Geography, and PSHE. The collection also offers Key Stage 3 Packs and lesson plans for some productions. It is designed for schools and further education, including a curated selection for UK state primary schools. UK state-funded schools and FE colleges have free access. Higher education institutions can request a trial and subscription through the sales team, while UK independent and worldwide schools can ask JCS Online Resources about subscription and trial details. The service is available on the web.
VideoLectures.NET
VideoLectures.NET is a free portal of lectures, talks and presentations from scientific conferences, summer schools and workshops. It targets researchers, students and anyone learning from experts. Subject categories include computer science, data science, medicine, physics, mathematics, humanities and social sciences. The homepage listed 30,444 videos, 1,597 events and 20,645 authors when indexed. A May 2026 announcement describes a redesigned player with chapter navigation, synchronized slides, advanced search and responsive design. Registered users can create and share playlists and may view private videos when permission is granted; Google login is optional for registration. Videos are generally published under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 unless another license applies. Users cannot upload directly: submitted material undergoes editorial review before publication. The operator offers recording, audio and color correction, titling, slide synchronization, encoding and distribution, plus lifetime hosting, unlimited streaming and on-demand reach reports. The service is available on the web and through a free iOS app for iPhone and iPad.